Dallas, Texas

In addition to my holiday travel and then my trip to Cabo, I also flew to Dallas for work.  I had to facilitate my program (Tuesday-Friday) at the compound but then I had to be back Monday morning. I decided to stay over the weekend so I didn't have to spend 6 hours just flying to and from SF.  I've never visited Dallas, so I wanted to give it a shot!  Well, I hate to say that it was just "meh".  Maybe its because I didn't give it the effort to look into all the things to see and do because I just didn't have the time, but I am happy I gave it a shot!

One of the AV people at the compound volunteered to drive us around the city and show us the sites!! It was such a nice offer and we took him up for it.

Our first stop was Pioneer Plaza.  This is the site of the original cowboy cattle drives that occurred early last century.  There are 49 bronze steers and 3 trail rider sculptures throughout the area. According to wikipedia,  "Each steer is larger-than-life at six feet high; all together the sculpture is the largest bronze monument of its kind in the world".

Steers all over!

OF COURSE I had to take a selfie with the cow

One of the three riders

Next stop on the tour was the Old Red Museum.  This is located in the county courthouse and was a beautiful, breathtaking building. We didn't pay to view the museum, but instead we just walked quickly through and looked around.

This bright red neon pegasus is a replica of the neon pegasus outside of the magnolia hotel. Apparently for years this was the welcoming sign as you drove into Dallas.

Here is a bit of a background:

In 1934, the original porcelain enamel and neon Pegasus sign was installed on the roof of the Magnolia Building. The 29‐story building, built in 1922, was located at the northeast corner of Akard and Commerce Streets. It was this city’s first skyscraper, as well as the tallest building in Texas, the tallest building west of the Mississippi, and taller than anything in Europe.

The original Pegasus, the logo of the Magnolia Oil Company, was completed in six weeks in the Dallas plant of Texlite, Inc. The sign was produced to welcome oilmen attending the American Petroleum Institute’s first annual meeting in November 1934. Although it was never intended to be a permanent structure, Pegasus still flies above the Magnolia Building.

The “Flying Red Horse,” as it was referred to by Dallas residents, became a landmark immediately.
Standing majestically 450 feet above street the Dallas icon was visible 75 miles away on a clear
night. Pilots reported catching sight of it 60 miles south in Hillsboro, and some claimed to
see it from as far away as Waco.  Most North Texans of a certain age can remember driving into Dallas at night while the children watched to see who would be the first to spot the “Flying Red Horse.” 

Pretty cool!

I could't get over how beautiful the building was!!

Next up was the JFK Memorial plaza, which was right outside of the Old Red Museum.  I walked through it and was like "wait, that's it?!?!" It was nothing impressive at all.

This is where JFK was shot, we drove down the street in a convertible car to get the real feeling of what it might have felt like.  Daley plaza is the area around the grounds. What you see in the picture is the "grassy knoll". We drove past the Texas School Book Depository, where Lee Harvey Oswald hid prior to shooting JFK.

We also saw the very first Neiman Marcus store, built in 1907 on the corner of Elm and Murphy. While that building was burned down in 1913, it was soon rebuilt.

and then the George W. Bust Presidential Center but I didn't take any pictures.  Next up, we drove to Arlington to see the Dallas Cowboy stadium.  I wasn't interested, but apparently my boss likes the Cowboys...who knew?!?!

We only went in the gift shop, but hey, we were THERE.  I think the only other football stadium I've been in is the Baltimore Ravens stadium, but that was to see JT & Jay-Z in concert.

This was a replica of the football uniform but this mannequin was SO TALL.  I felt child-sized.

I texted B Man that I was there and asked if he wanted to me to pick him up anything and his response was "Burn that place down. If you buy me anything from there, its going out the window!!"  Spoken like a true Redskins fan...